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Washington, DC – Today, the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) announced that Jack Groppel, Ph.D., Vice President of Applied Science and Performance Training at Wellness & Prevention, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, a division of Wellness & Prevention, Inc., will serve as the national spokesperson for the CEO Pledge, a national campaign aimed at encouraging every CEO in the United States to recognize physical activity as an important driver of employee health and business performance. Groppel’s first appearance as the national spokesperson will take place at the 2013 Health Enhancement Research Organization’s (HERO) Forum held September 24-26 in Lake Buena Vista, FL., where he will announce the program’s progress in reaching private industry and public health leaders.

"It is a true honor to serve as the national spokesperson for the CEO Pledge,” said Groppel. “I believe that if we’re going to change our country's story around inactivity, we must start with America's businesses. CEOs play a pivotal role – not just in influencing their own workplace, but in shaping the community as well.”

Groppel is the author of The Corporate Athlete, which explores human energy management as the key driver of high performance, both at work and at home. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Management at the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and continues to teach courses at the University, is a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine, a Board-certified nutritionist in the American College of Nutrition, and a former Research Associate to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Groppel played an integral role in working with NCPPA and other business and industry stakeholders to formulate the idea of the CEO Pledge several years ago during the formation of the National Physical Activity Plan.

“As an internationally recognized authority and pioneer in the science of human performance, and an expert in fitness and nutrition – particularly in the workplace – Jack Groppel is a natural fit to serve as a champion for the CEO Pledge,” said Scott Goudeseune, President of NCPPA. “Jack has been a staunch advocate for corporate wellness for decades, and NCPPA is delighted to have his expertise and wide network of professionals as a resource for promoting the Pledge.”

NCPPA is the leading force in the country promoting physical activity and fitness initiatives. We are a diverse blend of associations, health organizations, and private corporations, advocating for policies that encourage Americans of all ages to become more physically active.